Justice High School's Kirsten Salonga named 2025 Global Educator of the Year

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (7News) — On today’s Spotlight on Education, Roxanne Strouk visits Justice High School in Fairfax County to highlight teacher Kirsten Salonga, who was recently named the 2025 AFS-USA Global Educator of the Year, an award made even more meaningful as she was nominated by one of her students.

Ms. Salonga is the biology and environmental science teacher for multilingual learners and also serves as the school's science department chair. Senior Karen Orozco, who submitted the nomination, and freshman Airloe Berihe praised Ms. Salonga for her unwavering kindness, dedication, and the support she provides both in and out of the classroom. Those qualities inspired Karen to nominate her and showcase why so many students are grateful to have her as a mentor and teacher.

Ms. Salonga felt deeply honored to receive the award, especially because it gave her the opportunity to share her passion for teaching and her commitment to her students. She is also a finalist for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching! Recognitions like this celebrate the hard work of educators, and remind us of the powerful, lasting impact teachers like Ms. Salonga have on their school communities.